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Calais to Abbeville |
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It seemed straightforward enough.
The SNCF website indicated that bikes could travel free on the train we wanted to take.
But then I read Tim Moore's book and discovered that 'bikes go free' also meant 'bikes go into cardboard box after being dis-assembled, and box goes in guards van'. Not exactly what we envisaged, being, as we were, kitted out with panniers, rucksacks and various other bits and pieces of essential cycling equipment. |
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TGV station at Frethun, Calais |
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So I emailed SNCF customer support to find out what we had or had not to do. Three days later, with no reply, I telephoned SNCF - several times - and eventually spoke to a representative who said that all would be fine and that the trains would take the bikes as they were. Relief! |
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Then, on the evening before the day we were to leave, at 8.30 pm, I received an email from SNCF customer support:
'Sorry for the delay, bit of a computer problem, got your email, yes, could be a problem, change of attitude since 9-11, each station is left to decide its own policy, suggest you call your departure station to find if they still allow bikes, have a good holiday, glad we could be of assistance.' |
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Cycle Service Norman and Paul + Bus +Trailer |
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WHAT!?!? Instant panic. Abbeville was two days cycling away (for us, anyway) and we could well be left with no means to get there. Chambre d'hotes were booked to match our itinerary. We had no station telephone number for Calais Frethun to be able to call to find out their policy (SNCF, if they did believe in customer service, might have called them for us and saved us our anguish), and only a few hours before we left early next morning to get to Folkestone. It could all fall down like a pack of cards. The only 'plan B' I could come up with was to try to bribe the Eurotunnel Cycle Service (click here for the Cycle Service website and more information) driver to take us part way to Abbeville. |
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Norman (the Cycle Service driver - 'speaks for England' according to one of the other drivers) couldn't help as his minibus insurance didn't cover the distance to Abbeville, but he kindly took us to the TGV station instead of dropping us at the Eurotunnel offices, and we were very relieved to find out that we could take our bikes on board - it all appears to have been 'une deluge dans une tasse'! No more hassles from SNCF then - we were on our way! |
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Bikes and gear safely on board! |
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Well, almost.
There was the Canadian tourist on the platform at Frethun who wanted to know if the next train went to 'Clayville'. Took us some while to work out that he really meant Calais Ville.
And not to forget that it might have been better if the map case, that contained not only one of (luckily) the two cycling maps I had of the areas we were visiting, but also (not so luckily) the directions and details of all the chambre d'hotes where we would be staying, had accompanied us on the train rather than decided to remain somewhere on the platform at Frethun.... |
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Return to Map page |
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Advance to the next page on our route |
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